As summer draws near and we are at the finish line for yet another school year, the weight of being a solo parent has been even more apparent lately. First, it started with research and enrollment for kindergarten. The official public school days are about to begin, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it. […]
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Who Says You Can’t Go Home?
“Who says you can’t go home?” asks the lyrics of a song written by New Jersey natives, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. Two weeks ago, I made a trek to my home state of New Jersey for a quick visit with some friends and to attend a class reunion. I’d looked forward to returning […]
Paws to Honor the Dog Moms
Today, the day before Mother’s Day, is officially Dog Mom’s Day. For many, especially those that are widowed, our dogs (and other pets) can fill a great void when no human can, providing comfort and companionship when they feel so all alone in the world, sometimes even when they have actual human kids. My […]
Forward to the Past
When Rich and I first moved to our home in St. Marys, GA in January 2020, the first movie that we watched together was Back to the Future. I was so surprised when it was revealed that Doc Brown’s numerical address was the exact same as our’s – 1640! What were the chances of […]
A Week in “Old Florida” Never Gets Old
It’s been a “mundane” but productive week filled with property-related distractions; the homestead matters that call for care and maintenance, those things that keep me grounded, literally. The tasks of making sure my foundation is secure. I kind of like weeks like that. Nose-to-the-grindstone kind of stuff. Fortunately, I found out this week that I […]
Trying to Stay Young
Lola and I are invited to dinner one evening next week at the home of Michael and Hannan, who live in the neighborhood but are not, strictly speaking, our neighbors, as we live several short blocks apart. Lola introduced us. It’s been more than one year. As best I can tell, Michael and Hannan would […]
The Satisfaction of Being a Tutor
It’s fast approaching the conclusion of the tutoring year. This past Tuesday, the tutoring organization directed tutors to conduct the first half of the “post-assessment.” The assessment consists of two sections, reading comprehension and math. On Tuesday, I administered the reading portion of the test to Zoey, who in the next month or so is […]
Do I Even Love to Kayak?!
Lynn and I fell in love while kayaking and hiking. Our first outings together as “just friends” included me taking her on my favorite trails, and Lynn taking me out kayaking for the first time. For 10 years, we would go out to the river or the lake several times a month. She had a […]
You are “So Strong”
Winn-ie, the tiny puppy I “acquired” during a shopping trip to Winn Dixie has proven to be a smart, sweet and rough and tumble little cutie. She and my big dog, Jackson, continue to forge an adorable bond and our other two older dogs have learned to tolerate the antics of this energetic pup. Recently, […]
8 Ways My Perimenopause Journey Reminds Me of My Grief Journey
Experiencing the Sacred Journey of Perimenopause is reminding me of when I began the Sacred Journey of Grief… 1) The FATIGUE… I’m a runner, used to do several half marathons a year. Since I began the Perimenopause, I suddenly get sooo tired – mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. In the middle of a […]
A Puppy and Springtime Renewal
What could be more uplifting than an adorable puppy, especially when welcomed during the first week of the lovely month of April? I will add, however, April in Northeast Florida is the equivalent of mid-July in most northern states and can bring sweltering temps in the 90s. I often write about how I believe […]
Two Old Shoes
I met Eric in early Fall during our senior year of high school, shortly after my folks uprooted me from the heart of the City where I had spent my entire life to that point for the greener pastures of Suburbia. This sudden upheaval disoriented me. Virtually overnight, I was displaced, alone and friendless, living […]